When Good Goes Bad
by Sithlord1515
Summary: When a mysterious warrior from a foreign lands appears in Redwall we are lead on another adventure


A/N: Hope you like my first fic. If not I will shortly be posting other fics in such things as Star Wars and Harry Potter.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the idea of Redwall but the city Liserick and the names of the characters I created. If you'd like to use any of the ideas in the story just ask and I'm sure I'll let you.  
  
Chapter One: The Stranger from the South  
  
The night was cold and damp, and the moon shone down brightly on Redwall Abbey, casting an eerie glow about the ground. The grand table still, laden with scraps of food, stood alone in the Great Hall. But there was a party in full swing, down in Cavernhole all the Abbeybeasts were celebrating the hedgehog Abbess Sidel's fixing of the bell towers. It had taken a few seasons but the work was finally done and all but the Dinbunns and old ones were celebrating.  
  
The party ran on through the night and no one saw the lone figure that staggered down the path. The mysterious figure removed the hood of its cloak to reveal the head of a fully grown male squirrel. The cloak he wore was ripped and covered in blood, as was the owner. He gave three sharp knocks before falling to the ground unconscious.  
  
In the gatehouse, the gate keeper, Groundbull the mole, was startled awake by the knocking at the door. Groundbull ran from the gate house and to the front gate. He slowly opened the gate and spied the bloody squirrel on the ground. He rushed in panic to Cavernhole shouting, "Thurr be a gurtly 'urted squirrel on ee path."  
  
Cavernhole became silent as Abbess Sidel began giving orders. "Groundbull, run up to the infirmary and get Sister Joyce. Brother Hanbet go get Lephen from the orchard and take him to see the squirrel. Everyone else, please stay here so you are not in the way." The Abbess got up and followed Hanbet to find the Champion of Redwall. All of the remaining Abbybeast stayed in Cavernhole but didn't continue with the festivities. They took their seats keeping a respectful silence.  
  
Outside in the orchard Lephen the squirrel, the Champion of Redwall and Champion climber, whirled his sword and chopped at an apple of a tree. He lowered the sword and laid it across his hands. The moonlight glinted off the gems in the sword hilt, and Lephen ran his hand across the flat of the blade. He was running his fingers around the gems, when he heard a shout from behind him, "Lephen, we need you at the gate. Hurry!!"  
  
Lephen turned to see Brother Hanbet running towards him with the Abbess on his heels. Understanding the urgency of this message, Lephen ran towards them. Upon reaching them he asked, "What's the problem?  
  
"There's a squirrel at the front gate," Hanbet gasped out. He changed direction to run alongside Lephen.  
  
"That still doesn't tell me what the problem is."  
  
"Groundbull said he was hurt badly."  
  
"Did someone go get Sister Joyce."  
  
"I had Groundbull go get her," Abbess Sidel choked out before slowing down to a walk.  
  
"I'll go on ahead," Lephen called back to the Abbess and Hanbet who had stopped with her. Lephen ran up to the front gate to find Sister Joyce, the little mousemaid, already there. She was bent over a cloaked figure, muttering to herself. Lephen could only hear snatches of what she said, but from what he heard he knew the squirrel was in bad shape.  
  
Sister Joyce turned to Lephen, "Get the other side of the stretcher." Lephen grabbed an end as Joyce rolled the squirrel onto the stretcher. They walked back to the abbey hoping it wasn't too late to save the poor squirrel.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Sister Joyce walked up the steps to the infirmary. She walked in the door to see the poor squirrel still in bed and unmoving. Grabbing a basin of water, the sister walked over to the bed. She pulled a rag from the basin and moped the squirrel's forehead. His fever from last night had greatly reduced and he looked like he'd be just fine.  
  
"Well we can't identify him. No one knows who he is and he hasn't brought anything with him. Not even bread was found in his haversack." Lephen was leaning against the door frame, his face an unreadable mask.  
  
Sister Joyce stood up from the bedside, "Considering the way he was beat it looks like he may have been robbed. The robbers probably took everything he had."  
  
"But robbers wouldn't have let him escape."  
  
"He didn't just have his own blood on that cape. Maybe he fought them off."  
  
"If he had fought them off and was that badly beaten then there must have been a lot of them. From the looks of him he's a seasoned warrior and whoever beat him like this must have been very powerful."  
  
A groan came the bed as the squirrel woke. His eyes opened slightly at first then widened as he found himself in a room with others. Panicking he tried to get up but fell back into the bed. Sister Joyce ran to the bed and grabbed his shoulders, "It's okay. Shhhhh."  
  
The squirrel calmed down and watched as Joyce ran to get a small bowl of water. After she gave it to him he tipped it up to his lips and drank it cautiously. Finishing the bowl he set it down on the bedside table. He spoke in a deep, hoarse voice, "Where am I?"  
  
Sister Joyce explained and made quick introductions, "This is Redwall Abbey. My name is Joyce and he is Lephen. We found you outside our door two night's ago."  
  
Nodding the squirrel sat up a little, "I am Soafidus of Liserick. I thank you for your kindness my lady." He took sister Joyce's paw in his hand and kissed it softly, causing the mousemaid to blush.  
  
"Your from Liserick? The famous city of warriors in the south!?!?" Lephen's mouth dropped open in admiration.  
  
"Yes, I see you've heard of it. I've lived their since I was little."  
  
"But what would you be doing all the way up hear at Redwall."  
  
Soafidus sighed, "I'm not supposed to be here but I was sidetracked by a band of thieves. It turned out there was a horde and I fled for my life. I may be from Liserick but even I have to run from 8,000 rats and other vermin. After fleeing for days I finally slowed and that was my big mistake. Two days after I was set upon by a band of archers. I tried to run but my luck had run out. I took few out before I escaped but it was enough. After that I stumbled down the path to here."  
  
Lephen nodded staying silent. He mulled the thoughts over in his head before asking, "What was your original destination?"  
  
Soafidus shook his head, "That I can't tell you. But I can assure you it's no where near here. There's a notorious badger lord from where I live that has set upon pillaging the villages and though the members of Liserick are strong the horde he commands is vast. I wish to see the lord of Salamandastron."  
  
Lephen sighed, "Well that I can help you with. But." Lephen was interrupted by the sudden banging on the infirmary door. Lephen opened the door allowing a young mouse tumble in.  
  
"Now Nimben what are you doing here?" Lephen lifted the child from the floor and dusted him off.  
  
Nimben smiled up at the warrior mouse, "There's a big funny colored bird outside that wants to talk to a mouse named Soafidus."  
  
Soafidus froze and fixed his gaze on the young mouse, "Did he say who sent him?"  
  
Nimben nodded enthusiastically, "Lord Bearhammer."  
  
Soafidus stood from the bed slowly, "As I thought, that damn badger has already found me."  
  
  
  
A/N: Please read and review so I know if I should continue this story or if it's a complete flop. No flames please as this is my first post on fanfiction.net. 


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